The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for delivering elongated objects to a conveyor. In particular, it relates to a device for depositing ear corn transversely onto a compartmented receiving conveyor.
In the commercial manufacture and handling of almost any type of product, it is desirable to deliver the products to be processed in an orderly fashion into processing equipment. In the manufacture and processing of ear corn, it is highly desirable to place the ears transversely across a compartmented conveyor before inspection, husking, cutting, or the like. Also, it is often desirable to inspect the ears after size grading and before further processing steps.
An example of a known automated device for placing small, elongated objects on a conveyor is described in Grafius U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,508. The apparatus described includes a vibrating bowl having a base portion, a side wall and a ramp spiralling around the inner perimeter of the side wall such that the elongated objects are conveyed from the bottom end of the ramp along the upper surface of the ramp to a top end of the ramp. The bowl in the preferred embodiment makes pulsed movements which combine short counterclockwise displacement with a short upward displacement. Grafius, Col. 5, lines 26-29. As the objects move along the outside edge along the ramp, a long axis of the objects become aligned in a direction of travel of the objects and are deposited end-first into a chute. The chute drops the objects onto a notched spur gear having notches of a size sufficient to transversely receive the objects. As the spur gear rotates, the objects are deposited transversely onto a compartmented conveyor.
Other automated devices for handling objects are known. Horii U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,613 describes an apparatus for sorting fruits and vegetables by weight and by shape which includes a tiltable shallow bottomed tray conveyor including a plurality of trays. An electronic weight measuring unit is arranged below the travelling path of the trays. A planar shape-measuring device utilizing a photosensor is arranged above the tray and faces downward. A second photosensor is provided proximate the downward facing planar shape-measuring unit on one side of the tray conveyor path and perpendicularly to detect the height of an object on the tray. A portion of the conveyor path includes a distribution section having discharge operation units which are spaced at short intervals and are arranged to tilt each tray for sorting objects by grade and by rank. Receiving bins are provided for receiving the classes of objects distributed to them. The device is useful for sorting substantially spherical objects such as fruit.
Lapp et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,894 describes a trough-like vibrating conveyor for sorting and separating two differently shaped components in a mixture. The mixture includes generally cylindrical shaped parts, and generally flat shaped parts. The conveyor includes two motors which are unbalanced, are arranged on opposite sides of the conveyor and are offset relative to each other. Near the discharge end of the conveyor is included a plurality of substantially horizontal rods having axes positioned in a general direction of travel of the components. The rods are provided to separate the flat and cylindrical particles exiting the conveyor from damaged particles or waste. The damaged and waste particles fall through the openings between the rods, while the flat and cylindrical particles remain on the rods. By selecting the degree of offset of the motors, the flat shaped articles follow a first path, exiting a first side of the exit end of the conveyor and the cylindrical particles follow a second path, exiting a second side of the exit end of the conveyor.
Another type of vibrating conveyor is described in Makino U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,303. That apparatus includes a first mass and a second mass. The first mass includes a vibration excitor of the rotary eccentric weight type and the second mass includes an object to be vibrated. The two masses are interconnected by resilient elements designed to permit a desired vibration amplification from the vibration excitor to the object to be vibrated. The device includes means for changing the operating frequency of the system to operate at a frequency near resonance level.
Rice et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,184 discloses an apparatus for sorting objects by weight. The objects are fed by means of a conveyor into a weighing section of a moving belt. The weighing station generates a pneumatic pressure signal proportional to the weight of the object and the signal is transmitted through a conduit to a memory section. A booster generates an output signal proportional to the weight signal. The programmer, in response to the output signal of the booster operates two valves to permit the introduction of a new weight signal and to transmit the output signal from the booster to a sorting section. The sorting section includes an initial deflecting section which receives the weight signal and transmits an operating signal if the weight signal exceeds a predetermined value.
A device for deflecting the article off of the conveyor in response to the operating signal is provided. The deflecting device includes sorting sections having pneumatically operated pistons which actuate a sorting arm. The sorting arm meets the object and directs the object off the conveyor belt to a bin, chute, separate conveyor or the like.
Marmet U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,387 describes a device for separating chickens of a weight above a predetermined weight from the rest of the flock. The device includes top and bottom frame sections each being substantially rectangular in shape. Legs are connected between the corners of the frame sections. Arranged between each pair of legs and connected between the frame section are upright supports. Arranged forwardly of the frame structure are chicken receiving stalls secured to and extending forwardly from the upright supports at the front end of the frame structure. These stalls constitute passageways for directing or guiding a chicken toward a feed box or water trough. A lower portion of the receiving stall includes a chicken walk or treadle equipped with an actuating mechanism and a load cell. If the weight of the chicken exceeds a predetermined weight, a guard member is elevated to prevent the chicken from passing through the frame structure.